The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Social Work
Course No:
Course Title:
Instructor:
Office Hours:
SOWO 793 (Tuesdays, 2:00 – 4:50pm)
Asset Development Policy & Practice, Spring 2015
Mat Despard, MSW
School of Social Work, Room 402-E
Office: 919.962.6467
Fax:
919.843.8715
despard@email.unc.edu
Skype: mat.despard
Mondays 12-1:30pm, Tuesdays 12–1:30pm & by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course explores community-based efforts and social policies to help lowerincome individuals and families build wealth through increased access to financial services and assetbuilding opportunities.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the course students will be able to:
1. Differentiate income- and asset-oriented social policies in the U.S.
2. Understand rudiments of asset-oriented tax policy in the U.S.
3. Describe data on wealth disparities by race, education and other social factors and identify
historical antecedents, economic trends and patterns of institutional discrimination that explain
such data.
4. Describe major theories that guide asset development practice and policy.
5. Understand the role of Community Development Financial Institutions and other nonprofit
organizations, conventional banks and credit unions in expanding access to financial services
and asset-building opportunities.
6. Analyze and describe major components and strategies of cross-sector, multi-institutional
community initiatives that target lower-income and –wealth individuals, families and
neighborhoods with financial services and asset-building opportunities.
7. Describe best- and evidence-based practice for specific areas including homeownership
counseling and assistance, micro-enterprise, Individual Development Accounts, Child Savings
Accounts, income tax filing assistance, and banking the unbanked.
8. Examine the alignment of asset development policy and practice to social work values and
ethics, particularly social and economic justice and combating racial and ethnic discrimination.
9. Demonstrate how to plan an organizational, human service system or community intervention
aimed at measurably improving the quality of life for a group of people.
EXPANDED DESCRIPTION: This course focuses on ways to improve the financial security of low-income
individuals and families in the U.S. Asset-based policies and practices are different than income
assistance because they help individuals and families build savings and acquire assets that will improve
financial security over the long-term. In the U.S., historical patterns of institutionalized racism and
oppression largely explain racial wealth disparities that justify asset development as a practice and
policy strategy to achieve social and economic justice. In this course, students will learn about asset
development intervention models and policies and how to design an evidence-informed intervention or
policy.
RESOURCES
All course lectures, syllabus, assignment information, and external links to useful web sites are or will be
available on Sakai, at http://sakai.unc.edu
REQUIRED TEXT & READINGS
There is no required text. Assigned readings are available on the Sakai course site.
TEACHING METHODS
Team-based learning is used in this course. Each student will be assigned to a team to answer questions
about assigned readings, complete a class presentation, and engage in learning exercises. This is a
course that depends on a high level of engagement and critical thinking by students. Instructional
methods include a mix of lecture, video, discussion, and case exercises.
CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
Student performance will be evaluated based on the following requirements, which are briefly described
below (full, detailed assignment instructions and grading guides are available on Sakai):
Requirement
Class Attendance
Class Participation
Assignment 1: Intervention Review & Critique
Quiz – Key Concepts
Assignment 2: Intervention Plan
Points
10
10
25
15
40
Due Date
Ongoing
Peer & self assessments due 2/27/15
2/3 or 2/10/15
2/27/15
3/3/15
Written assignments should be submitted electronically on Sakai by the start of class time on the due
date.
CLASS ATTENDANCE (10 POINTS)
To pass this course, students cannot miss more than two class sessions. Students will be awarded
attendance points as follows:
No classes missed
One class missed
Two classes missed
More than two classes missed
10 points
3 points
0 points
F course grade
In extenuating circumstances (medical or family emergency, though not common illness), absences will
be considered excused. Being on time for class is very important and is a sign of respect for the learning
environment. A pattern of being late and/or leaving early and/or missing substantial portions of classes
may result in the loss of class attendance points.
CLASS PARTICIPATION (10 PTS.)
Participation points will be awarded based on instructor, peer, and self assessment concerning the
extent to which the student a) was prepared for class having completing the readings; b) made active
and thoughtful contributions to class discussions and learning activities; and c) contributed to a positive
and constructive team learning environment and experience.
ASSIGNMENT 1: INTERVENTION REVIEW & CRITIQUE (25 PTS.)
Students will work in teams to critically review an assigned financial security intervention strategy. This
critical review will focus on the conceptual, empirical, and practical soundness of the strategy, which will
help students prepare for developing their own intervention plan for the final assignment. Each team
will have 45 minutes to give a presentation and lead class discussion. Students submit a PowerPoint
presentation to the instructor, but not a paper.
SOWO 793 Syllabus Spring 2015 - Despard
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ASSIGNMENT 2: INTERVENTION PLAN (40 PTS.)
Students will develop a plan for an asset development intervention that includes a clear target
population, outcome objectives, logic model, evidence-based theory of change, detailed description of
activities, timeline, partners, and summarized budget. Students will present informal, ungraded
synopses of their key intervention ideas in the last class on 2/24/15 to receive peer and instructor
feedback prior to submitting their papers by 3/3/15.
QUIZ: KEY CONCEPTS (15 PTS.)
The purpose of this quiz is to ensure students have a sound understanding of financial security issues,
concepts, and interventions based on assigned readings and class lectures from class sessions 1-6.
Students will complete the quiz on Sakai in an open-note/book, timed, and multiple-choice format. The
quiz can be taken at any time, but no later than 2/27/15.
Detailed instructions and grading guides for each of these assignments are available
on Sakai in the Assignments folder.
GRADING SYSTEM:
The School of Social Work operates on an evaluation system of Honors (H), Pass (P), Low Pass (L), and
Fail (F). The numerical values of these grades are:
H: 94-100; P: 80-93; L: 70-79; F: 69 and lower
A grade of P is considered entirely satisfactory. The grade of Honors (“H”) — which only a limited
number of students attain -- signifies that the work is clearly excellent in all respects.
EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
Students are expected to use good academic English; grades will be lowered for poor grammar, syntax,
or spelling. Those who have difficulty writing are STRONGLY encouraged to use online resources of the
campus Writing Center (http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/) and the School of Social Work
(http://ssw.unc.edu/students/writing) and/or seek assistance from Diane Wyant or Susan White in the
School of Social Work.
The School of Social Work faculty has adopted APA style as the preferred format for papers and
publications. All written assignments for this course should be submitted in APA style. Exceptions to
this requirement are that students are expected to format and present their written work based on 1)
assignment instructions and 2) single spacing and any format the student desires for presenting bulleted
and numbered lists, tables, charts and other in-text objects that results in a professional and attractive
presentation expected by human service organizations.
Information concerning APA style and writing resources are listed below:
American Psychological Association. (2009). Publication manual of the American
Psychological Association, 6th Edition. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.




http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/index.aspx (Frequently asked questions about APA Style)
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html (Additional APA Style guidance)
http://www.bartleby.com/141/ (electronic version of Strunk's The Elements of Style which was
originally published in 1918)
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/resources.html (The Harvard University Writing Center, links
to on-line reference material and many other useful sites for authors)
SOWO 793 Syllabus Spring 2015 - Despard
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
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/ (The UNC writing center—on-line and tutorial help at Phillips
Annex 962-7710)
POLICY ON INCOMPLETES AND LATE ASSIGNMENTS:
A paper is considered late if it is emailed in any later than the start of class on the day it is due. The
grade for late papers will be reduced 5% per day, including weekends. Therefore, a paper that would
merit a grade of 100 on Friday will receive a grade of 70 if submitted on Monday. Similarly, a paper due
at 2pm on Monday handed in at 3pm will be considered 1 day late.
A grade of Incomplete is given only in exceptional and rare circumstances that warrant it, e.g. family
crisis, serious illness. It is the student’s responsibility to request and explain the reasons for an
Incomplete. The instructor has no responsibility to give an Incomplete without such a request.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:
It is the responsibility of every student to obey and to support the enforcement of the Honor Code,
which prohibits lying, cheating, or stealing in actions involving the academic processes of this class.
Students will properly attribute sources used in preparing written work and will include the following
pledge on the first page of all written assignments: “I have not given or received unauthorized aid in
preparing this written work.” Credit will not be awarded for unpledged work. Please refer to the APA
Style Guide, The SSW Manual, and the SSW Writing Guide for information on attribution of quotes,
plagiarism and appropriate use of assistance in preparing assignments. In keeping with the UNC Honor
Code, if reason exists to believe that academic dishonesty has occurred, a referral will be made to the
Office of the Student Attorney General for investigation and further action as required.
POLICY ON ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:
Students with disabilities that affect their participation in the course and who wish to have special
accommodations should contact the University’s Disabilities Services (http://disabilityservices.unc.edu)
and provide documentation of their disability. Disabilities Services will notify the instructor that the
student has a documented disability and may require accommodations. Students should discuss the
specific accommodations they require (e.g. changes in instructional format, examination format) directly
with the instructor.
POLICY ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN THE CLASSROOM
Use of electronic devices is permitted for learning purposes such as taking notes and looking up
information relevant to a discussion or small group activity, but is prohibited for purposes not relevant
to the class and/or when it is distracting to others or keeps the student from being engaged in class.
Class Schedule & Reading Assignments
Class 1 – 1/13/15
Introduction: Financial Security and Asset Development
Objectives
1. Describe household financial security and the importance of asset development.
2. Explain wealth disparities, asset development over the life course, and the effects of assets on
key social, health, and economic outcomes.
3. Describe, compare, and contrast theories and perspectives that explain asset holdings and
financial security.
Readings
CFED. (2010). A new framework for achieving household financial security. Retrieved from
http://cfed.org/assets/CFEDHouseholdFramework_4Pager.pdf
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McKernan, S-M., & Sherraden, M. (2008). Introduction. In S-M McKernan & M. Sherraden (Eds.), Assetbuilding and low-income families. Washington, DC: Urban Institute Press.
Shapiro, T., Meschede, T., & Osoro, S. (2013). The roots of the widening racial wealth gap: Explaining the
black-white economic divide (Institute on Assets and Social Policy Research and Policy Brief).
Retrieved from http://iasp.brandeis.edu/pdfs/2013/Roots_of_Widening_RWG.pdf
Stoesz, D. (2013). Paradigms of anti-poverty policy. In J. Birkenmaier, J. Curley, & M. Sherraden (Eds.)
Financial capability and asset development: Research, education, policy, and practice. New York:
Oxford.
Class 2 - 1/20/15
Individual Development Accounts & Homeownership
Objectives
1. Explain individual development accounts.
2. Describe and critically assess key findings from individual development account studies.
3. Explain homeownership as a key asset-building strategy, what went wrong in the housing crash
of 2007-08, and how mortgage lending can be successful with low-income borrowers.
Readings
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Sherraden, M., Gale, W. G., Rohe, W. M., Schreiner, M., & Key, C. (2013). Long-term
impacts of individual development accounts on homeownership among baseline renters:
Follow-up evidence from a randomized experiment. American Economic Journal: Economic
Policy, 5(1), 122-145.
Quercia, R. G., Freeman, A., & Ratcliffe, J. (2011). Foreclosing on the American dream. In Regaining the
dream: How to renew the promise of homeownership for America’s working families.
Washington, DC: Brookings Institute Press. Retrieved from
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/Press/Books/2011/regainingthedream/regainingthed
ream_chapter.pdf
Richards, K. V., & Thyer, B. A. (2011). Does individual development account participation help the poor?
A review. Research on Social Work Practice, 21(3), 348-362.
Class 3 – 1/27/15
Financial Security 101
Objectives
1. Explain key aspects of financial security and personal finance, e.g., credit scores, refundable tax
credits.
2. Describe a range of financial security and asset development practice strategies.
Readings
CFED. (2011). Building economic security in America’s cities: New municipal strategies for asset building
and financial empowerment. (Read Chapter 3 – Strategies, pp. 26-49). Retrieved from
http://cfed.org/assets/pdfs/BuildingEconomicSecurityInAmericasCities.pdf
Additional reading assignment: Learning teams will be assigned personal finance topics to research and
explain in class. The instructor will provide a list of websites students can use to conduct their research.
SOWO 793 Syllabus Spring 2015 - Despard
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Class 4 – 2/3/15
Asset Development Intervention Examples, Part 1
Objectives
1. Examine and critically analyze various financial security and asset development intervention
strategies.
Readings
In class sessions 4 and 5, student teams will present their review and critiques of various asset building
intervention strategies. Each team is responsible for reviewing their primary article(s) in depth and using
additional resources to gain a broader understanding of the strategy. Other students are expected to
read the primary article with an asterisk (*), skim other primary articles, and be prepared to engage in
class discussion.
Team 1: Child Savings / Development Accounts
Primary Articles:
Cramer, R. (2010). The big lift: Federal policy efforts to create child development accounts. Children and
Youth Services Review, 32(11), 1538-1543.
*Nam, Y., Kim, Y., Clancy, M., Zager, R., & Sherraden, M. (2012). Do child development accounts
promote account holding, saving, and asset accumulation for children’s future? Evidence from a
statewide randomized experiment. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 31(3), 1-28.
Sherraden, M. & Stevens, J. (Eds.) (2010). Lessons from SEED: A national demonstration of child
development accounts. Washington, DC: CFED. (Read pp. 8-22).
Additional Resources:
http://cfed.org/programs/1to1_fund/
http://cfed.org/programs/csa/
http://cfed.org/assets/pdfs/Partnership_for_College_Completion.pdf
Multimedia examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4-HRFBi1R0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPXvAg531K4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXTnGAAZrsQ&list=PL39C7A61810C71E10
Team 2: Financial Education & Counseling
Primary Articles:
Azurdia, G., Freedman, S., Hamilton, G., & Schultz, C. (2013). Encouraging savings for low- and
moderate-income individuals: Preliminary implementation findings from the SaveUSA
evaluation. Retrieved from the MDRC website
http://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/SaveUSA_brief14.pdf
Collins, J. M., Mahon, C., Martinez, M., & Walsh, K. (2011). Impact of financial counseling on financial
stability: Analysis of the New York City model (CFS Research Brief, FLRC 11-9). Retrieved from
the Center for Financial Security, University of Wisconsin-Madison website:
http://www.cfs.wisc.edu/briefs/MahonMartinez2011_ImpactBrief.pdf
* Collins, J. M., & O’Rourke, C. M. (2010). Financial education and counseling: Still holding promise. The
Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44(3), 483-498.
Additional Resources:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/downloads/pdf/SupervitaminReport.pdf (pp. 8-16)
SOWO 793 Syllabus Spring 2015 - Despard
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http://www.cfs.wisc.edu/presentations/ORourke2011_FinancialCoachingPresentation.pdf
http://cfed.org/assets/pdfs/AFCO_Adult_Research_Brief.pdf
Multimedia examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cowsvgdEt0w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5dJhpeZJF0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqG6vZptpsQ
Class 5 – 2/10/15
Asset Development Intervention Examples, Part 2
Objectives
1. Examine and critically analyze various financial security and asset development intervention
strategies.
Readings
In class sessions 4 and 5, student teams will present their review and critiques of various asset building
intervention strategies. Each team is responsible for reviewing their primary article(s) in depth and using
additional resources to gain a broader understanding of the strategy. Other students are expected to
read the primary article with an asterisk (*), skim other primary articles, and be prepared to engage in
class discussion.
Team 3: EITC Outreach & Tax Time Interventions
Primary Articles:
Grinstein-Weiss, M., Comer, K., Russell, B., Key, C., Perantie, D. C., & Ariely, D. (2014). Refund to Savings:
2013 Evidence of tax-time saving in a national randomized control trial (CSD Research Report 1403). St. Louis: Washington University, Center for Social Development. Retrieved from
http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RR14-03.pdf
*Rothstein, D., & Black, R. (2014). Making tax time the financial management moment. In R. Cramer & T.
Shanks (Eds.), The assets perspective: The rise of asset building and its impact on social policy
(pp. 227-244). New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
Additional Resources:
http://mdcash.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Building-Assets-Strengthening-Families-inBaltimore.pdf
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/up-front/posts/2013/04/15-tax-day-saving-grinsteinweiss
http://eitcoutreach.org/eitc-partnership/factsheet/
Multimedia examples:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/economy/video-save-usa/16642/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MYpapB5q2g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxoQLLQqkqY
Team 4: Financial Service Innovations
Primary Articles:
*Abbi, S., Hahnel, A., & Smith-Ramani, J. (2013). Building financial security through fun: Findings from
the Save to Win expansion. Retrieved from
http://www.d2dfund.org/files/publications/D2D_SaveToWinNebraska_Web.pdf
*Beta Project Team. (2013). Small changes, real impact: Applying behavioral economics in asset-building
programs (A brief from the Beta Project). Retrieved from
http://cfed.org/assets/pdfs/small_changes_real_impact_brief.pdf
SOWO 793 Syllabus Spring 2015 - Despard
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Additional Resources:
http://www.cfsinnovation.com/Blog-Posts/April-2014/Small-Savings-Can-Replace-Small-Borrowing
http://www.cfsinnovation.com/Blog-Posts/July-2014/Innovation-is-Coming-A-New-Small-Dollar-CreditOff
http://www.cfsinnovation.com/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=aaa92b38-fe13-4b18-81eb-399615e9041a
http://dbsi-inc.com/true-stories/true-story-usc-cu/
Multimedia:
http://www.cfsinnovation.com/Find-your-topic/Savings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D_Ubq8HTWg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy5YxgP0FtI
Class 6 – 2/17/15
Policy Implications
Objectives
1. Describe key federal asset development policies, objectives, and outcomes.
Readings
Cramer, R., & Schreur, E. (2013). Personal savings and tax reform: Principles and policy proposals for
reforming the tax code. Retrieved from the New America Foundation website
http://assets.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Personal%20Savings%20a
nd%20Tax%20Reform%207-19-13-formatted.pdf
New America Foundation. (n.d.). The ASPIRE act of 2013. Retrieved from
http://assets.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/program_pages/attachments/ASPIRE
%202013%20Proposal%20Summary.pdf
New America Foundation. (n.d.). The financial security credit. Retrieved from
http://assets.newamerica.net/financial_security_credit
New America Foundation. (2013). The financial security credit: Tax reform that supports savings for
hard-working Americans. Retrieved from
http://assets.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/program_pages/attachments/Financi
alSecurityCreditSummaryAugust2013.pdf
Class 7 – 2/24/15
Student Presentations / Course Review
No readings. Students will present key features of their proposed intervention and receive feedback
prior to submitting their assignment one week later. We will also review key ideas and concepts from
the course and discuss practice applications.
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